GREAT NEWS: I’m Returning to SCOTLAND

I’M RETURNING TO SCOTLAND THIS SUMMER!!!

Sorry for the bold capital letters and abuse of exclamation marks, but this is major, major, amazing, travel news! You probably already saw details about my summer trip splattered all over my social media channels, but I just had to write a spontaneous post, too. Editorial calendars, be damned. Scotland’s back!

I still can’t quite believe it. Scotland, one my favorite places in the world, is on my travel radar yet again! I literally felt breathless after the plane tickets were booked, because the excitement was far too much for me to handle. Does this giddiness ever happen to anyone else or am I just crazy? Hahaha, who knows. I’m not sure I want an answer.

I’ll be flying into Edinburgh in late June and staying for roughly 9 days. Be still my beating heart!

The Fairy Glen at Skye.

Outer Hebrides.

Uh, why are you freaking out so much?

Because it’s SCOTLAND!

Okay, more detailed answer. If you’ve read my blog for any length of time (can’t believe 2015 was almost two years ago), then you already know Scotland changed my life for the better. I was at a super low point in my life. My job prospects were garbage, I was broke and trapped at home, bored with my life, completely depressed. Trust me, my days were gloomy. I cried at least once a week.

Then Amanda, over at “A Dangerous Business,” inspired me to finally stop procrastinating about solo travel so I closed my eyes and booked a plane ticket to Edinburgh. I was nervous and almost canceled my first solo adventure a million times, but Amanda’s posts on Haggis Adventures, a backpacking tour company, reassured me that everything would be okay. I could make it.

And my trip? Far exceeded “okay.” I met incredible people, ate divine food, saw and experienced unreal things. I also decided to travel as much as I wanted on my own terms. Bound to other people’s schedules and finances? Not me. Fear of the unknown? Bring it. You can even thank Scotland for this blog.

Heriot Row in Edinburgh.

Near the Hogwarts Express in the Highlands

But aren’t you scared Scotland will lose its magic?

Uh, maybe a little bit. Scotland’s taken an almost mystical role in my travel memories. I need to constantly remind myself that this trip won’t mirror my 2013 adventure. You can’t relive the past, no matter what. Instead I’m gonna embrace the differences traveling now, as someone who has seen the world solo rather than a wide eyed newbie who jumps at her own shadow in the street.

I’m also taking this trip with my family, which is super exciting, since (as you know) I travel most of the time alone. We’ll be staying in hotels rather than hostels and I probably won’t venture on my own too much. But this trip will certainly be one to cherish in my heart forever. I just know it.

Lastly, I’m visiting some new sites that I’m positive will charm the pants off me again. The wild landscape of the islands and Highlands is unreal, and needs to be seen to be believed. Cameras don’t do a justice. At all.

So where am I headed exactly? Lots and lots and lots of places!

Foggy Orkney

Loch Ness.

Where am I going?

Edinburgh: We’ll spend a decent amount of time in Edinburgh, which is one of my favorite cities ever, because the buildings and streets remind me so much of Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley. I’ll definitely try to enjoy more literary-based sites this time around, as well as do some cool day trips near the city! Sadly I won’t be in Edinburgh for The Fringe or International Book Festival. Next time!

Loch Lomond: A gorgeous national park that I didn’t see too much of on my last visit. I adore all of Scotland’s lochs. They make you feel as if you’ve transported into a fairy tale, especially with the epic castles in the background. Guh.

Iona: One of the islands I haven’t visited yet! I’m very excited to see the Abbey – which is the resting place of Scotland’s oldest kings including … dun dun dun Macbeth! My favorite Shakespeare play.

Mull:If you’re going to see Iona, you also have to visit Mull, which is exactly what I’m doing on this trip. I’m looking forward to soaking in all the island’s sights and smells and sounds, including …

Staffa and Fingal’s Cave:These beautiful pillar rock formations look amazing, almost like a pieces of sculpted art, and I can’t wait to see them close up.

Isle of Skye:I’ve already been to Skye, but I’m positively dying to spend more time on Scotland’s most famous islands. This is one of my favorite islands, too, for obvious reasons. What a lush wonderland.

Loch Ness: Alas, I didn’t see Nessie in 2013, so perhaps I’ll have much better luck this time around. We have to wait and see, I guess.

Besides those spots … who knows what else I’ll see and do on this epic Scottish summer excursion. I have some spare time so I’m not entirely sure where else I’ll go or what my family members want to see. The possibilities are endless. Endless.

Have you ever been to Scotland? Is Scotland on your bucket list? What do you love about it? Share away!

This is GREAT news and definitely worth the extra exclamation points. 🙂 I can’t wait to read all about your adventures. So far I’ve only been to Edinburgh but loved it so much and can’t wait to go back one day to explore more of Scotland.

I went to Scotland solo in 2012 and had a blast. It was surprisingly easy to navigate Edinburgh on foot, even though I did take public transport to a few areas. I did a highland tour with the Hairy Coo tour group which was fun. I added Haggis Adventures to my travel sites to look into for my next trip to Scotland.

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Blond Wayfarer is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Read my privacy policy for more information regarding affiliates.